Showing posts with label Virginia Tech. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Virginia Tech. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Governor McAuliffe and Virginia Legislators Celebrate Today’s First Flight at the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership

English: InView Unmanned Aircraft for use in s...
English: InView Unmanned Aircraft for use in scientific, commercial and state applications. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Governor Terry McAuliffe and Virginia legislators from across the Commonwealth released the following statements today following the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership’s First Flight ceremony at Virginia Tech University. Governor McAuliffe attended the event today and witnessed some of the newest research in the aviation industry. Unmanned aircraft technology will be useful for a range of industrial and research purposes, and presents a great opportunity for job creation and economic growth in Virginia.

Governor Terry McAuliffe and Virginia legislators from across the Commonwealth released the following statements today following the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership’s First Flight ceremony at Virginia Tech University. Governor McAuliffe attended the event today and witnessed some of the newest research in the aviation industry. Unmanned aircraft technology will be useful for a range of industrial and research purposes, and presents a great opportunity for job creation and economic growth in Virginia.

“Early in this process, the Commonwealth of Virginia realized how vital unmanned aircraft systems testing is for building a new Virginia economy focused on innovation, diversification, and new technology that will enable Virginia to compete on a global scale.” said Governor Terry McAuliffe. “We publically pledged support to this effort, and then backed up those words with funding. It is gratifying to see our work has made the mid-Atlantic region a leader in unmanned aircraft system research.”

Legislators from across the Commonwealth weighed in on the event:

Senator Frank Wagner, Virginia Beach:

“The development of the UAV range has truly been a bipartisan effort.  The FAA recognition of the great work being done by Virginia assets such as NASA Wallops Flight Facility and Virginia Tech's hard work in securing the designation puts Virginia in the driver's seat to take advantage of the full economic potential of this exciting new technology.  This year, the General Assembly funded a dedicated UAV runway at NASA Wallops Flight Facility to expand Virginia's capabilities.  Governor McAuliffe's  leadership has been, and will continue to be instrumental in realizing the full potential of this emerging industry.”

Senator John Watkins, Powhatan:

“As Virginia faces looming federal spending cuts, I am glad to see Governor McAuliffe stepping up and supporting an emerging industry with the potential to create thousands of high paying jobs. Thanks to the hard work of our universities, our private partners, and our federal supporters Virginia has a strong competitive advantage in this field.”

Senator Lynwood Lewis, Accomack:

“As the home of one of six federally-approved Unmanned Aerial Vehicle test sites, Virginia will play a dominant role in this exciting new industry. I commend Governor McAuliffe for his efforts to push these technologies forward and to attract high-paying jobs to our Commonwealth. Thanks to the hard work of the McAuliffe Administration and many other public and private partners, we will soon see new and growing companies testing their vehicles in the 6th Senate District.”

Delegate Joseph Yost, Giles:

“I want to take this opportunity to thank Governor McAuliffe and his team for the work they have done to ensure that Virginia takes its place as a central player in this new and exciting industry. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are a key building block of a strong, diversified Virginia economy. I look forward to working together to help these technologies get off the ground.”

Delegate Monty Mason, Williamsburg:

"I would like to thank Governor McAuliffe for his leadership promoting this important industry. These aerial vehicles represent a crucial high-tech, growth industry for the Commonwealth and the Virginia Peninsula.  From the research and development to the manufacturing this 21st Century industry provides high paying jobs for Virginians and solutions that will aid multiple industries."

Delegate Sam Rasoul, Roanoke City:

"This is an exciting day for innovation, and I applaud Governor McAuliffe's leadership in bringing cutting edge technology as well as new economic opportunities to the region. With this new partnership, innovators and researchers will have the ability to improve and develop systems of the future in a safe, transparent, and collaborative environment. That's a major win for the Southwest Virginia and all Virginians."” said Governor Terry McAuliffe. “We publically pledged support to this effort, and then backed up those words with funding. It is gratifying to see our work has made the mid-Atlantic region a leader in unmanned aircraft system research.”

Legislators from across the Commonwealth weighed in on the event:

Senator Frank Wagner, Virginia Beach:

“The development of the UAV range has truly been a bipartisan effort.  The FAA recognition of the great work being done by Virginia assets such as NASA Wallops Flight Facility and Virginia Tech's hard work in securing the designation puts Virginia in the driver's seat to take advantage of the full economic potential of this exciting new technology.  This year, the General Assembly funded a dedicated UAV runway at NASA Wallops Flight Facility to expand Virginia's capabilities.  Governor McAuliffe's  leadership has been, and will continue to be instrumental in realizing the full potential of this emerging industry.”

Senator John Watkins, Powhatan:

“As Virginia faces looming federal spending cuts, I am glad to see Governor McAuliffe stepping up and supporting an emerging industry with the potential to create thousands of high paying jobs. Thanks to the hard work of our universities, our private partners, and our federal supporters Virginia has a strong competitive advantage in this field.”

Senator Lynwood Lewis, Accomack:

“As the home of one of six federally-approved Unmanned Aerial Vehicle test sites, Virginia will play a dominant role in this exciting new industry. I commend Governor McAuliffe for his efforts to push these technologies forward and to attract high-paying jobs to our Commonwealth. Thanks to the hard work of the McAuliffe Administration and many other public and private partners, we will soon see new and growing companies testing their vehicles in the 6th Senate District.”

Delegate Joseph Yost, Giles:

“I want to take this opportunity to thank Governor McAuliffe and his team for the work they have done to ensure that Virginia takes its place as a central player in this new and exciting industry. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are a key building block of a strong, diversified Virginia economy. I look forward to working together to help these technologies get off the ground.”

Delegate Monty Mason, Williamsburg:

"I would like to thank Governor McAuliffe for his leadership promoting this important industry. These aerial vehicles represent a crucial high-tech, growth industry for the Commonwealth and the Virginia Peninsula.  From the research and development to the manufacturing this 21st Century industry provides high paying jobs for Virginians and solutions that will aid multiple industries."

Delegate Sam Rasoul, Roanoke City:

"This is an exciting day for innovation, and I applaud Governor McAuliffe's leadership in bringing cutting edge technology as well as new economic opportunities to the region. With this new partnership, innovators and researchers will have the ability to improve and develop systems of the future in a safe, transparent, and collaborative environment. That's a major win for the Southwest Virginia and all Virginians."

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Governor McAuliffe Announces Virginia Tech’s India Research Laboratory Opens in Chennai

English: Young woman from Tamil Nadu near Maha...
English: Young woman from Tamil Nadu near Mahabalipuram, India Français : Jeune femme du Tamil Nadu près de Mahâballipuram, Inde (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Four years in the making, Virginia Tech's research laboratory in India opens today with Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger presiding over the ribbon cutting.
A built-to-specs laboratory is outfitted with equipment enabling researchers to harvest energy in new ways from waves, sun, and wind, as well as mechanical vibration such as railroad trains produce. Soon the 6,000-square-foot lab will feature a state-of-the-art wind tunnel where researchers can develop high-efficiency wind turbines by optimizing their aerodynamic and structural performance.
“We are crossing continents to meet a global challenge – doing research in a living laboratory where energy demands are outstripping the supply,” said Virginia Gov. Terence R. McAuliffe. “The insights we gain and the technology we create all transfer back to Virginia, and we can apply those assets to build new industry and address U.S. energy challenges.”
For Steger, the campus in India is a way to marry Virginia Tech's high-tech research edge with its tradition of putting new ideas and inventions into practice for the world's betterment. "We have an opportunity to expand beyond our neighbors in Western Europe into Asia, creating a global enterprise focused on one of the most important research areas for humankind – energy,” Steger said.
India is the ideal place for such research, said Guru Ghosh, vice president for Outreach and International Affairs at Virginia Tech. "Virginia Tech is setting a team to work that will refine and adapt windmills and solar panels for use in households in rural India. This is vital to reducing poverty where hundreds of thousands of people live off the grid. Uplifting lives in India and elsewhere rests on the world's capacity to produce enough electricity for everyone."
In March 2010, Virginia Tech announced plans for a center called VT, India to be located on 30 acres in the state of Tamil Nadu in southeast India, within a two-hour drive of Chennai (formerly known as Madras). Chennai is India’s fourth largest city and the capital of Tamil Nadu. The center sits inside the Amrita Research Park, where ocean breezes are conducive to windmill research.
As work proceeded with private-sector partner MARG Swarnabhoomi, which contributed almost $2 million to the laboratory build-out, two of Virginia Tech's research entities developed prominent roles: the Center for Energy Harvesting Materials and Systems and the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science. The campus was christened the VT, India Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science Innovation Center.
"The research will become part of our global effort on energy-harvesting under the umbrella of a National Science Foundation Center for Energy Harvesting Materials and Systems,” said Roop Mahajan, director of the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science on the Blacksburg campus. "Communication and interaction between the two centers, in Swaranabhoomi and Blacksburg, will ensure a seamless integration of research projects and goals.” 
Virginia Tech researchers already have brought the cost of wind energy down to about $1 per watt, enabling the technology to be deployed for household use. “We will use hybrid composite materials to design light wind turbine blades with a high lift coefficient and optimum performance at low wind speeds," Mahajan explained, making the turbines even more affordable for individual households and small communities.
Research will also involve experiments with the reel-to-reel manufacture of flexible, dye-sensitized solar cells, seen as a promising source of renewable energy.
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Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Governor McAuliffe Announces Administration Appointments

Terry McAuliffe and State Senator Donald McEac...
Terry McAuliffe and State Senator Donald McEachin at U.S. Senator Mark Warner's annual pig roast on September 11, 2010. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced additional appointments to his administration today. The appointees will join McAuliffe’s administration focused on finding common ground with members of both parties on issues that will grow Virginia’s economy and create more jobs across the Commonwealth


Secretariat of Agriculture

Bettina K. Ring, State Forester, Department of Forestry
Bettina Ring most recently served as Senior Vice President of Family Forests at the American Forest Foundation where she was responsible for overseeing the American Tree Farm System®, the largest and oldest sustainable woodland program in America, supporting more than 80,000 family forest owners collectively managing 27 million acres of certified woodlands.  Ms. Ring has a long history in the conservation and forestry sectors, having spent 14 years at the Virginia Department of Forestry, departing the agency in 2001 as Deputy State Forester.  In her role, Ms. Ring was responsible for operations, and helped to develop and implement a new mission, vision and strategic plan for the department.  In the years following her Department of Forestry service, Ms. Ring held various leadership positions within nonprofit organizations focusing on natural resources management and conservation, including the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts, The Wilderness Land Trust and the Bay Area Open Space Council. Ring holds a Bachelors degree in Forestry and Wildlife from Virginia Tech and a Masters degree in Business Administration from James Madison University.



Melvin D. Carter, Executive Director, Virginia Department of Fire Programs
Prior to joining the administration, Melvin Carter served as Deputy Fire Chief of Operations for the City of Richmond’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services, where he was responsible for managing more than 360 personnel, with an annual budget of $33.8 million.  He also provided technical and administrative leadership to the operations of the Department, including emergency medical services, technical rescue, training activities, and fire company-based community risk reduction efforts. He has held key administrative positions, such as Deputy Fire Marshal, Deputy Emergency Manager, Battalion Chief, and Shift Commander, and holds certifications from the Executive Development Institute and the National Fire Academy.  Chief Carter is a Richmond native and veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and the Virginia Air National Guard.



Secretariat of the Commonwealth
Board Appointments

Agriculture and Forestry

Virginia Sheep Industry Board
·        Rosalea R. Potter of Lexington, Manager Director at Donald’s Meat Processing
·        J. Alvin Thomas, Jr. of Dillwyn, Sheep and Cattle Producer at Rocky Hill Farm
·        Larry W. Weeks of Waynesboro, Owner at Triple L Farm

Commerce and Trade

Virginia Manufactured Housing Board
·        David C. Bridges of Danville, Deputy Building Official for the City of Martinsville, Virginia
·        Shawna J. Cheney of Lexington, Staff Attorney at Blue Ridge Legal Services

Real Estate Appraiser Board
·        Michael G. Miller* of Richmond, President & CEO at MGMiller Valuations
·        Laura Sánchez del Solar* of Henrico, Benefit Program Specialist for the City of Richmond
·        Fay B. Silverman of Virginia Beach, Vice President at Tidewater Mortgage Services, Inc.

Designated

Vint Hill Economic Development Authority
·        William G. Downey* of Warrenton, Owner / Principal at Downey & Scott, LLC
·        Mary Leigh McDaniel* of Marshall, Partner at Updegrove, Combs & McDaniel, PLC
·        David W. Vos* of Delaplane, CEO & CIO at Athena Technologies, Inc.
·        Birge Watkins* of Warrenton, Vice Chairman and Director at CoreVest Financial Corporation, Director of Imperial Capital Corporation, and Chairman of the Land Trust of Virginia

Independent

State Lottery Board

  • Robert M. Howard* of Virginia Beach, CIO of Gold Key/PHR Hotels and Resorts

Public Safety

Virginia Parole Board

  • Karen Brown* of Hampton, current Vice Chairman

Ms. Brown graduated from Hampton University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. She later attended George Mason University School of Law where she received her Juris Doctorate in 1991 and was admitted to the bar that same year. Ms. Brown began her legal career as a judicial law clerk at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. As a prosecutor for sixteen years, she served in the Newport News and Chesapeake Offices of the Commonwealth’s Attorney. In that capacity, she prosecuted cases in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations, General District and Circuit Courts with a concentration on child abuse and sexual assault cases. Ms. Brown is also a victim of crime as her brother was murdered in the city of Newport News in October 1993.

  • The Reverend Dr. A. Lincoln James of Richmond, Senior Pastor, Trinity Church

The Reverend Dr. A. Lincoln James has served as Senior Pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Richmond since 1980.   Dr. James earned a bachelor’s degree from North Park College and Seminary; he later earned a master of divinity degree from Virginia Union University’s Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology and received two honorary doctorates.Dr. James began his career as a youth minister at Greater Bethesda Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois, before relocating to Virginia, where he served as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Kilmarnock, Tabernacle Baptist Church in Petersburg, and Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Prince George County.
Dr. James has served as third vice president of the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education, member of the board of trustees at the University of Lynchburg, adjunct professor at Virginia Union University’s Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology, and immediate past president of the Virginia Baptist State Convention.

  • Sherman P. Lea, Sr. of Roanoke, Founder, President, S. P. Lea and Associates, LLC

Mr. Lea has served in the Virginia Department of Corrections for 35 years before retiring in January of 2012. He began his corrections career as an institutional parole officer in Richmond. He has served as an adult probation and parole officer in Danville, and was selected as the first African -American chief probation and parole officer in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Upon his retirement from the department, Mr. Lea had achieved the position of Regional Administrator for the Western Region of Community Corrections. Currently he is the founder and president of S.P. Lea and Associates,  LLC. Mr. Lea is serving his 10th year (3rd term) on Roanoke City Council and was elected Vice Mayor 2008 through 2010.  Prior to being elected to council, he served as chairman of the Roanoke City School Board. He is the recipient of the 2010 Judge William L. Hastie Leadership Award given by the National Association of Blacks on Criminal Justice (NABCJ). Mr. Lea received his BA degree in Sociology from Virginia Union University. He attended Old Dominion University graduate school of Urban Studies and an Honorary Doctor Degree in Humane  Letters for his humanitarian work in the community, by the Bethlehem Bible College in Roanoke, Virginia.

  • Minor F. Stone* of Norfolk

Mr. Stone served 29 years in sworn law enforcement as a Police Officer and Supervisor specializing in firearms and training. Mr. Stone holds a Masters Document from the U. S. Coast Guard. Mr. Stone held positions tied to Homeland Security and served with a Hampton Roads anti-terrorism task force along with other various law enforcement agencies, being deputized as a Deputy Federal Agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Mr. Stone was appointed to the Parole Board by the McDonnell administration in 2011. Along with general Parole Board Duties, Mr. Stone works closely with counterparts in the Department of Corrections concerning Geriatric Inmate Release issues.  Mr. Stone resides in Norfolk with his wife and two children.

*Denotes reappointment
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Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Governor McAuliffe Announces Appointments to the Virginia Commission on Higher Education Board Appointments

Dr. Charles Steger (en) on the field to thank ...
Dr. Charles Steger  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
RICHMOND – While speaking at today’s Charter Day Celebration at the College of William and Mary, Governor Terry McAuliffe announced his appointments to the Virginia Commission on Higher Education Board Appointments today. The appointees will work with the Governor to choose the best leaders for Virginia’s colleges and universities.



Virginia Commission on Higher Education Board Appointments

When Dr. Charles Steger completes his tenure as President of Virginia Tech on June 1st, he will join the Virginia Commission on Higher Education Board Appointments. Dr. Steger has held the position of President of Virginia Tech for 13 years, where he has helped grow the university and solidify its position as a leading institution of higher education in Virginia and across the globe. Prior to becoming President, Dr. Steger served in a range of positions including Dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and Vice President for Development and University Relations. He is chairman of the Council of Presidents of Virginia Colleges and Universities and has been appointed by five Governors of Virginia to various boards dealing with higher education, homeland security, information technology, and international education. Steger received his Bachelor of Architecture degree, Master of Architecture degree, and Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering from Virginia Tech.

Eva Teig Hardy
Eva Teig Hardy retired as executive vice president of Public Policy and Corporate Communications at Dominion Resources in 2008 after 20 years as an executive with the company.  She currently serves as a consultant to the Chairman, President and CEO of Dominion. A native of Egypt, Hardy immigrated to Portsmouth, Virginia with her family when she was 13 years old.  She received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Hood College in Frederick, MD and a master’s degree in government and public administration from the American University, Washington, DC. In addition to her private-sector experience, Hardy spent 17 years in local and state government, serving in several positions with the City of Portsmouth, Virginia from 1972 to 1981.  She became Commissioner of Labor for Virginia in 1983, and served as Secretary of Health and Human Resources from 1986 to 1990 in the administration of Virginia Gov. Gerald L. Baliles. She served as Interim State Director for US Senator Mark R. Warner in 2009. She has served as Vice Chair of the State Council of Higher Education and on the Board of Trustees of her alma mater, Hood College.

Joni L. Ivey
Joni L. Ivey serves as the Chief of Staff for Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, a position she has held since 1994.  Prior to 1994, Ms. Ivey was Representative Scott’s Legislative Assistant in the Virginia General Assembly.  This year marks her 37th year with Congressman Scott. Active in the community for more than 3 decades, Ms. Ivey was the first woman to be elected President of the Newport News Branch NAACP.  She is a member of the Hampton Links and the Junior League of Hampton Roads. Ms. Ivey is a native of Newport News, a graduate of George Washington Carver High School and Norfolk State University.

Leonard W. Sandridge, Jr.
In July 2011, Leonard Sandridge retired as executive vice president and chief operating officer of the University of Virginia, having served the university for 44 years. From July 2011 until January 2014, he served as special advisor to the President of the University of Virginia. Leonard joined UVa in 1967 as a member of the internal audit staff and held various administrative and finance positions prior to being named executive vice president in 1993.  In 1999, he was appointed executive vice president and chief operating officer.  A native of Crozet, Virginia, Leonard served in the U.S. Army from 1964 to 1966 and from 1966 to 1984 he was an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve.  Since July 2012, he has served as a senior advisor to the UVa Board of Visitors.  Leonard received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond in 1964 and his master’s degree. from the University of Virginia in 1974.

Jeffrey B. Trammell
Jeffrey Trammell served as Rector of the College of William & Mary from 2011 to 2013.  He served on William & Mary’s Board of Visitors from 2005 to 2013, where he chaired the Strategic Initiatives Committee, which developed a new long-term plan for the College.  He is a member of the Board of Trustees, Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges and the Board of Advisors, Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland Medical School. Trammell was the founding chair of the board of the Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy at William and Mary. In his non-academic activities, Jeff Trammell is president and founder of Trammell and Company, a consulting firm in Washington, D.C., which advises corporations on external affairs. Previously, Trammell served as Senior Managing Director of Public Affairs at Hill & Knowlton, a worldwide communications firm for twelve years. Trammell worked in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served as counsel to the chair of the subcommittee on health and the environment. Trammell received a bachelor’s degree in History in 1973 from the College of William and Mary and a juris doctor in 1977 from Florida State University.
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Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Senator Mark Warner Hampton Roads Virginia Quarterly Regional Newsletter

English: Mark Warner, member of the United Sta...
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A week ago, I traveled 1,200 miles over five days to meet with Virginians from every region of the Commonwealth. Over the course of 30 events, town halls and roundtables in 18 different communities, I was encouraged to hear genuine optimism from a lot of people about more signs of a genuine economic recovery. Folks also noticed that, for the first time in a while, Congress now appears to be moving forward together to begin addressing some of our nation’s challenges. 

I wanted to update you about my recent work in Congress to strengthen the economy and create jobs here in Hampton Roads. As always, I would welcome your thoughts, comments and concerns. 

Thanks again for the honor of representing you in Congress. 

Regards, 
Mark R. Warner

Working to Restore Military Retirement Benefits 

I have been working with colleagues in the Senate to repeal and replace the proposed cut to military pensions that was included in the Bipartisan Budget Act, which recently passed with overwhelming bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate. The recent spending bill repealed those cuts for disabled military retirees who were medically retired, but other military men and women were understandably concerned about this mid-career change in pension policy. Our service men and women deserve much better than seeing their pensions arbitrarily cut by lawmakers in Washington. Senators did not have an opportunity to vote on amendments to the budget agreement first approved by the House, so I immediately introduced legislation to replace the COLA cut for military retirees by closing a loophole that some companies use to avoid paying taxes. The proposed cut to military pensions is not scheduled to take effect until 2015, so I can assure you there will be plenty of time and many opportunities to reverse these pension cuts that unfairly single out Virginia military families. 

Virginia Chosen to Lead Drone Research & Testing 

After months of working with the Federal Aviation Administration, I was proud to announce the selection of a Virginia partnership to spearhead a research effort to help map the future of drones in commercial airspace. Following the grant announcement, I organized a roundtable in Norfolk with partners from NASA-Langley, NASA-Wallops, Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Navy, private drone companies and Virginia Tech to discuss possible economic benefits for manufacturing in Virginia. It’s my hope that this partnership will also be able to help sort out the legitimate public concerns about privacy and air safety as we move toward a safe and responsible integration of unmanned aircraft. 

Fighting for Virginia’s Volunteer Emergency Responders 

Beginning last fall, I started hearing from many volunteer fire and rescue departments in Virginia who had concerns about some confusing language in The Affordable Care Act. The Treasury Department was not being especially helpful in clarifying whether or not volunteer first responders, who typically have health coverage through their full-time employers, would be required to be counted as full-time employees by their volunteer departments. Such a mandate could have required volunteer departments to significantly cut their membership ranks, and that certainly was not the intent of Congress. I wrote to the Secretary of the Treasury last month, asking him to settle this confusion once and for all, and I am pleased the IRS now has made it clear that volunteer first responders do not count in ACA’s requirement that employers with 50 or more workers must provide health coverage or face penalties. I’ve said all along that there will be issues like these that arise with health care reform, and we should work in a bipartisan way to fix them. In this instance, I am pleased we were able to protect those who protect us. 

Better Protections for Consumers 

At nearly $700 billion in sales each year, prepaid cards are one of the fastest growing parts of the financial industry. However, issuers of prepaid cards currently are not required to provide the same level of consumer protections offered by most other gift cards and credit cards. I introduced legislation earlier this month to change this, so that technology doesn’t outpace smart consumer protections. Additionally, following the recent Target data breach affecting at least 70 million customers, as well as data breaches at other high-profile U.S. companies, I will chair a hearing in the Senate Banking Committee next week to examine whether companies and financial service providers are taking all actions necessary to safeguard consumer data. I’ll also look at whether stronger industry-wide cybersecurity standards are needed. 

Returning to Normal Order in Congress 

Congress recently passed a bipartisan spending bill that will ease the harshest effects of last year's automatic sequester cuts. This legislation is an important step toward normal order in the Senate, and the first appropriations bill passed since 2009. It included almost $487 billion indefense spending to advance our nation’s security and military readiness, and to provide support for our troops and their families, and fully funded ship-repair and shipbuilding accounts. A list of additional Virginia priorities that were funded through the appropriations bill is available here. 

This two-year budget agreement should help Virginia families, employers and community leaders move forward with more predictability and confidence. While I’m pleased that, at least in the near term, we will not be lurching from crisis to crisis, I believe we still need to have a comprehensive and thorough conversation about our nation’s deficit and debt.
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